Organ



(N o Model.)

" W. SOHUELKE.

ORGAN.

Patented Dec. 1, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM SCITUELKE, OF MILXVAUKEE, \VTSCONSIN.

ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 572,129, dated December 1, 1896.

Application filed April 20, 1896. Serial No. 588,276, (No model.)

To all whom 2 122/14 (go/warm.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SoHUELKE, a citizeniof the United States, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Organs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Hy invention has for its object to simplify and cheapen the manufacture of church and concert organs as well as to provide for easy playing of such instruments with light even touch independent of the number and variety of couplers employed. Hence said invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

I11 the drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a portion of an instrument embodying my improvements, and Fig. 2 a detail sectional view of a pinch-sleeve ad justable on a valve-stem in the instrument.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A represents one of a series of walls in the windchest of what is hereinafter termed the great organ of an instrument to which my invention relates, this organ and the swellorgan (not shown) of said instrument being preferably of the same general construction shown and described in my Patent No. 54:9,690, of November 12, 1895. In general terms it will be understood that each of the aforesaid *alls (one of which is herein shown) has a beveled face next adjacent to a vertical end or partition of the wind-chest and is provided at intervals of its length with a horizontal aperture 1) and a corresponding elbow-passage 0 above the aperture, this passage being for communication with a reed or pipe. Each wall-aperture and its companion passage is suitably isolated from the others in the se ries and a wind-proof diaphragm (Z, of suitable material, secured at its edges on the beveled face of wall A, constitutes a valve for said aperture and passage. The space within which each diaphragm is confined has communication through a port (2 with a compartment f of a wind-trunk, and each wallaperture 6 is open to an isolated compartment of the Wind-chest, bellows-Wind from a register-box of the instrument being supplied to each wind-chest compartment through a valve-controlled port, (not shown, but well understood in the art to which my improvements relate.)

A box B on the wind-chest has a port 9 for the entrance of bellowsuvind from a conveyer O, and while in practice this box contains a series of diminutive bellows or pneumatics, corresponding in number to the keys in a manual of the instrument, only one of these pncumatics is herein shown. Suspended from this pneumatic D is the wire or stem h of a valve 1 that governs an exhaust-port j in box B, this port being arranged to intercept an angular passage 7,, connecting said box and a compartment of the adjacent wind trunk. The pneumatic D being inflated. the valve is seated to close port j, and thereby permit wind from box 13 to enter the corresponding wind trunk compartment f, this wind rising through all the ports 6 leading from said compartment, whereby pressure is exerted on diaphragms (Z in the direction necessary to cut off reeds or pipes in the instrument. Deflation of the pneumatic D lifts the valve t' away from port j to out 01f wind from box 13 and at the same time permit exhaust of wind from the corresponding wind-trunk compartment.

The pneumatic D communicates with a passage m in the box B, and this passage is connected by a pipe E with a passage 1 in the key-box of the instrument, the latter passage being provided with an exhaust-port 1], controlled by a valve F, that also controls a port q, leading from a compartment G of said key-box, these ports being shown surrounded by washers of felt or other suitable material that serve as seats for the valve.

A sticker II has a preferably slabbed and cushioned end extending up in port 1) to lift the valve, and in practice this sticker is elevated when a predetermined key in the greatorgan manual of the instrument is played, each key of the instrument being preferably provided with a yielding sticker-support I, such as is herein shown on a key J, that belongs to the swell-organ manual. The valveopposing end of each sticker being slabbed, there is little or no interference with escape of wind through the adjacent port when a valve is lifted.

The sticker-support is a strip of elastic material, such as spring metal, set ina block K, made fast to a key of the instrument, and it is preferable that the block have a rocker-lug "r in contact with said key, whereby said strip may have tilt adjustment to compensate for slight irregularities in length of stickers or in elasticity of their opposing strips.

Screws 8 are run through the sticker-support in opposite directions from the rockerlug to hold the block K in its adjusted position on a key.

In practice each sticker has its movement in an apertured guide-bar suspended from the key-box (the guide-bar L for the swellorgan stickers being herein shown) and a pin t is run through each sticker above said guide-bar to prevent loss of the former when its yielding support is not in place. Pinbuffers lb of felt or other suitable material may be employed on the guide-bar for the stickers pertaining to each manual of keys.

It will be understood that when a key of the instrument is played a corresponding sticker and valve will be at once lifted, and the valve being seated to close a port leading from a key-box compartment the sticker-support will yield to compensate for greater pressure 011 said key than is necessary to obtain the desired result. Notwithstanding the fact that yielding supports are preferable, it is practical to omit the same and organize the instrument so as to have the keys thereof act directly on the stickers.

The swell-organ sticker M herein shown opposes a valve N, governing the exhaustport o of a key-box passage to, from which a communicating pipe 0 is extended. In practice the latter pipe communicates with a pas sage leading from a pneumatic in a wind-box, similar to the one 13 above specified, and which has exactly the same relation to the swell-organ as the latter wind-box has to the great organ. The valve N also controls a port 0;, leading from a compartment P of the key-box, the latter compartment and the one G being in communication, and the registering ports 1* v are also shown surrounded by washers of felt or other suitable material, that serve as seats for said valve.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when a key in any manual of the instrument is played the valve operated thereby c'uts off the key-box and opens the exhaustport of a passage in communication with a pneu m atic similar to the one D herein shown, whereby a wind-trunk compartment of the corresponding organ is opened. In consequence of this operation the organ reed or pipe corresponding (in any open stop) to the key played upon will speak, out off diaphragm or diaphragms being automatically moved in a direction to permit flow of bellows-wind to effect the desired result.

The key-box compartments G I are kept filled with bellows-wind, the former compartment being shown provided with an inletport as; but other compartments Q, R S of said key-box are only open to bellows-wind when their respective inlet-ports y .e' z are opened as a result of ordinary d raw-stop actions. (Not shown.)

In practice key-box compartment Q contains a series of pneumatics T, (one of which is shown,) that communicate with passages 11, similar to the one herein illustrated. An arm U, extended from pneumatic T, is apertured to engage the stem 7) of valve N, and a pinch-sleeve, adjustable on the valve-stem, longitudinally thereof, has a button-section in opposition to said arm. To cushion contact of the pinch-sleeve button with the arm of the pneumatic, an interposed washer of felt or other suitable material may be employed. The valve-stem Z) is also shown extending through vertical apertures in horizontal partitions of the key-box, and stemguides in the form of beads, made from indurated fiber or other suitable material, are preferably glued fast in said apertures, these guides serving to prevent rattle of the valvestem.

Each pinch-sleeve of the several herein shown is designated by the letter V, each button-section thereof by the letter V, and each of various valve-stem guides also shown is designated by the letter X, as a matter of convenience and to avoid confusion. \Vind being let into compartment Q. of the key-box, the lift of a great-organ key-valve will permit deflation of a corresponding pneumatic T, and the arm U of the latter operating to lift a swellorgan valve the same note is sounded by both organs. Hence I provide for simple coupling and economize bellows-wind.

In the key-box compartment It is shown one of a series of pneumatics, this pneumatic Y being provided with an arm Z, apertured to engage valve-stem Z) aforesaid. Another pinch-sleeve, adjustable longitudinally of the valve-stem, has its button-section in opposition to the arm of pneumatic Y, and the latter communicates with a key-box passage c, in register with a pipe A, that in practice connects with an exhaust of a pedal wind-box of the instrument. Hence when there is windpressure in key-box compartment It the swellorgan and pedal organ of the instrument will be coupled, or, in other words, when any one of the pneumatics Y is deflected incidental to the playing of a pedal the correspondin g swell-organ key-valve will be lifted.

In key-box compartment S is shown one of a series of pneumatics 13, provided with an arm 0, apertured to engage valve stem d of great-organ key-valve F, a pinch-sleeve on the latter valve-stem having its button-section in opposition to the arm. Pneumatic 13 also communicates with key-box passage 0, and thus when there is wind-pressure in keybox compartment S the great organ and pedalorgan will be coupled.

The organs and coupling-actions in the instrument may be indefinitely multiplied, and.

I do

the construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described enables me to do away with the extra valves heretofore found necessary in coupling-actions.

Each pinch-sleeve V is simply a longitudinally apertured and split piece of brass or other suitable material tapered and screwthreaded at one end to engage the button-section W, the latter being preferably an apertured piece of leather reamed out to engage with said screw-threaded end of the sleeve. The pinch-sleeves are capable of ready adj ustment on the wire valve-stems to come in opposition to arms of various coupling-pneumatics herein set forth, and said wire valvestems do not have to be screw-threaded, as is the case when ordinary buttons are used in connection therewith.

The valves herein shown are preferably metal, cast to have convex faces, such valves being greatly superior to those ordinarily employed, for the reason that they do not deteriorate, get out of shape, or fail to come close on their seats. They are also very economical and easily applied to their stems.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an organ wind-chest, a reed or pipe controlling diaphragm within an isolated portion of the wind-chest having communication with a wind-trunk compartment, a wind-box having an exl1austport intercepting a passage that leads from the box into said compartment, a valve controlling the port and passage, a valve-controlling pneumatic communicating with a key-box passage having inlet and exhaust \vind ports, another valve arranged to control the latter ports, a sticker opposed to the latter valve, a key cooperative with the sticker, another pneumatic within a key-box compartment that is optionally open to bellows-wind, this pneumatic being in communication with a passage that in turn communicates with another organ, and the stem of the sticker-opposed valve in such connection with the latter pneumatic as to be under control of the same but free for cooperation with said sticker.

2. The combination of an organ key-box having a compartment optionally open to bellows-wind, a pneumatic in the compartment, an apertured arm extended from the pneumatic, a key-valve having its stem loose in the arm-aperture, and a button on the valvestem in opposition to movement of the arm when said pneumatic collapses.

3. The combination of the key-box divided into compartments some of which are permanently open to bellows-wind and the remainder optionally open to this wind, the keyvalves, and a pneumatic in each of the latter key-box compartments connected to a keyva-lve stem thatis free to operate independent of said pneumatic.

at. The combination of a key-box having a passage provided with wind-ports, a valve controlling the ports, a sticker opposing the valve, a key, and a yielding sticker-support connected to the key.

5. The combination of a key-box having a passage provided with wind-ports, a valve controlling the ports, a sticker opposing the valve, a key, and a yielding sticker-support having adjustable tilt connection with the key.

(5. The combination of a key-box having a passage provided with wind-ports, a valve controlling the ports, a sticker opposing the valve, a key, a block having a rocker-lug in contact with the key, screws arranged to regulate tilt adjustment of the block, and a yielding sticker-support extended from the block.

7. The combination of a key-box having a passage provided with inlet and exhaust windports arranged in pairs, a single valve controlling each pair of the ports, a guide, a keyactuated sticker loose in the guide opposite the valve, and a pin run through the sticker above its guide.

8. The combination of a key-box having a passage provided with inlet and exhaust windports arranged in pairs, a single valve controlling each pair of the ports, a guide, a keyactuated sticker loose in the guide opposite the valve, a pin run through the sticker above its guide, and a buffer for the pin.

9. The combination of an organ valve-stem in the form of a wire devoid of screw-thread, a longitudinally split stem-engaging sleeve having a screw-threaded taper end, and a button having a stemengaging aperture as well as an enlargement of this aperture en gageable with the sleeve-thread, and a lifting device operative against that portion of the button engaged with said stem.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

. XVILLIAM SCHUELKE.

\Vitnesses;

N. E. OLIPHANT, B. O. RoLoFF. 

